STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK
At nearly three times the size of New York City’s Central Park, Freshkills Park comprises over 1,000 acres of closed landfill and 450 acres of wetland framed by spectacular views of downtown Manhattan. The award-winning master plan by Field Operations is guiding the transformation from landfill to parklands as Freshkills Park is built in phases, scheduled to be completed in 2036.
Over 750 acres of the park support active and passive recreation, public event spaces, and miles of trails. Early win and pilot projects have focused on providing public access to the interior of the site and showcasing its unusual combination of natural and engineered beauty, including creeks, wetlands, expansive meadows, and spectacular vistas of the New York City region, as well as providing much-needed community amenities, such as the playground at Schmul Park. The park is owned and operated by the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and the project is an ongoing collaboration with several New York City and State agencies.
Photography by Mona Miri/Sustainable Photography and City of New York, Department of Parks.